Virla Cruser Stevens

Virla Cruser Stevens passed away at home on Wednesday June 4th, 2025. She is survived by her children Joseph, Rebecca, Benjamin, Michael, John, Matthew, Miriam, Daniel, Samuel and Joshua, her siblings Ann Saxey, Steven Cruser, and Della Allen and thirteen grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Delwin P. Stevens and her parents.

Virla was born in St. Anthony, Idaho to Joseph DeVirl Cruser and Effie Beryl Mortensen Cruser and spent her childhood primarily in Bakersfield and Camarillo, CA. She participated in Glee Clubs, choirs, orchestras and learned to play the piano, percussion instruments and the string bass. Her piano skills improved, and she often played for her Ward’s Sacrament meeting and Junior Sunday School. She graduated from Ventura Junior College as a music major where she sang for the choir one year and played the piano for it the next year. She continued her music education at Brigham Young University in Provo, specializing in music theory and composition with piano as her major instrument. She graduated in 1971 and later that year married Delwin Partridge “Pat” Stevens in the Los Angeles Temple. They moved to Anaheim, CA and began their family.

Virla’s primary life’s work was raising her family in the LDS church. She taught us music, hard work and the value of education. She served her church in many callings but most often using her musical talents as an organist. Her favorite calling was playing for the Primary children. She played for countless weddings and funerals. She taught her children and others to play the piano.

Later in life she began experiencing various health issues which was eventually diagnosed as lupus. She became paralyzed and learned to rely on her husband and then her children after his death.

Virla’s greatest joy came from watching the achievements of her children and grandchildren in sports, church, theater, choirs, bands, scouting, and school.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00am Saturday, June 7, 2025 at the Mueller Park 3rd Ward Chapel located on 1825 S. 800 E. Bountiful, UT. Friends and family may visit from 9:30-10:30am prior to the service.

The services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by going to www.lindquistmortuary.com and scrolling down to the bottom of Virla's obituary page.

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